From the first week of high school,my best friend,Trisha,was always going out with the popular girls.____I thought,“It's okay;she’s just making new friends.”But soon I realized that Trisha wasn't interested in me anymore.I'd ____my best friend.It really hurt.
One day,I told Trisha that we should____pretending（假装）to be friends when we really weren’t anymore.I wasn't trying to make her mad,____she was.After that,Trisha started talking about me behind my back,telling people that I was____.Some of our friends____with her.I felt like she was taking them away from me.
The more I thought about it,the____I got.Finally,I____a picture of Trisha and drew lines on her face.I wrote,“I ____this person”across the bottom.And then I did something I'll always____: I put it on a website I thought was____. I thought people would see it,and it felt good to vent（发泄）.
A week later,Trisha's mom saw the____.She called my mom,who made me take it off the website right away. However,it was already too____.Lots of people had seen it,and I was in a lot of____.
That whole day,I felt____.I had to say sorry to Trisha face to face.She said she accepted my apology（道歉）,but I felt she was____angry with me.
Posting that picture was one of the worst____I've ever made.I realize now I could have found a much better way to deal with my____.If I'd just told Trisha how much I____her,maybe things would have turned out____.It's too late for me to change things,but I hope you'll learn from my mistake.
1.A. At least B. At first C. In general D. In public
2.A. lost B. met C. found D. made
3.A. enjoy B. suggest C. stop D. continue
4.A. because B. so C. but D. and
5.A. busy B. sad C. careless D. bad
6.A. sided B. talked C. remained D. studied
7.A. less serious B. less proud C. quieter D. angrier
8.A. gave back B. took up C. cut D. received
9.A. need B. fear C. hate D. prefer
10.A. regret B. control C. correct D. mention
11.A. strange B. unknown C. popular D. private
12.A. book B. picture C. news D. letter
13.A. dark B. big C. old D. late
14.A. trouble B. peace C. danger D. help
15.A. excited B. free C. terrible D. lucky
16.A. just B. still C. once D. soon
17.A. excuses B. explanations C. changes D. decisions
18.A. lessons B. feelings C. mistakes D. friends
19.A. missed B. trusted C. praised D. influenced
20.A. suddenly B. clearly C. differently D. hopefully
There is no way to make somebody stop smoking,and just like with users of any drug,it is very unlikely a person will stop unless he or she wants to.1.
Step One: Make Observations
Smoking use can affect memory and make it difficult for people to do well at work or school.Other bad effects that you may notice include:2.Is she getting sick more often than she used to?
Write down your concerns using “I” statements,such as “I feel sad that when you smoke you give up your artwork.”3.
Step Two: Approach the Person
Bring up your concerns to your friend at a relaxing time.Express your concerns using the statements you wrote down.Tell him you will be there to support him if and when she decides to give up smoking.He will likely give you one of three responses:
He wants to quit.
4.
He wants to stop,but not yet.
You must be willing to calmly accept any of these responses.If he says he does want to stop,go on with the next step.If not,they will have to be visited later when he is ready.
Step Three: Prevent Him Giving Up Halfway
5.However,symptoms only appear after some time of quitting smoke.This causes some who are addicted to believe that they are not actually addicted and to start using again.
A.He doesn’t want to quit.
B.Does this person appear more nervous?
C.Are you lazy because you smoke too much?
D.It’s best to approach the person in this manner.
E.People can become physically dependent on smoking.
F.The drug can stay in the system for a long period of time.
G.But there are steps you can take to support a friend or family member.
A disease called “Panama” is threatening supplies of the world's most popular fruit—banana.Two years ago,the United Nations warned that the "Panama disease" could destroy "much of the world's banana crop."Since then,things have not gotten better.A new outbreak was discovered last year in Australia.The disease started in Asia in the 1990s, and later spread to Africa and the Middle East.
World health officials worry the disease could travel to Latin America,one of the top banana producers in the world.All this is a big concern because bananas are an important source of income and nutrients for millions of people.They are grown in 135 tropical nations.The United Nations lists bananas as one of the most important foods, along with rice,wheat and corn.
Randy Ploetz is a professor at the Tropical Research & Educational Center at the University of Florida.Many consider him as America's top banana expert.As he explained,Panama disease affects the Cavendish banana.The Cavendish is one of more than 500 kinds of bananas.But it is the most popular.
“The industry is waking up to the problem,”Ploetz said.“They are pretty scared.”He was speaking Thursday by telephone from Miami,Florida,where he is among 1,000 people attending the International Banana Congress.The meeting was supposed to take place in Costa Rica,but was moved at the last minute.There were concerns banana growers could spread Panama disease from dirt collected on their shoes,Ploetz said.
Ploetz said reports that Cavendish banana production could end are not correct.But if the disease spreads to Latin America,it could hurt the world’s economy along with food supplies for millions of people.Still,he said there is reason for hope.Scientists in Australia are working on a genetically engineered banana that might not be at risk of getting Panama disease.
1.What makes World health officials worried about the disease?
A. Making the banana disappear.
B. Spreading to another continent.
C. No effective medicine to kill it.
D. No ways to stop it spreading.
2.What do you know about professor Randy Ploetz?
A. He is the best scientist studying banana in America.
B. He helps farmers grow various bananas.
C. He found more than 500 kinds of bananas.
D. He will find a better way to protect bananas.
3.What’s the possible measure to defeat the disease?
A. Using clone technology to kill the disease.
B. Inventing new medicine to prevent the disease.
C. Looking for effective ways to make banana healthy.
D. Developing a new type of banana free of the disease.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A. Scientists Try to Protect Banana Trees.
B. Disease Spreads Quickly to Latin America.
C. Disease Threatens World Banana Supplies.
D. Banana Plays an Important Role in Economy.
Mary bought a dress in a women's clothing store.She felt very happy about buying the dress until she got home. Then she remembered she had left her purse at the store.It was the third time that month that Mary had forgotten something important.Mary was angry with herself.She said,“Am I losing it?”
Emma was teaching a class in mathematics at a college.She began to explain to the students how to solve a very difficult problem.She understood it very well.But somehow,at that moment,she could not explain it.Emma said,“I must be losing it.”
Americans seem to have a lot of concern about losing it.At least that is what you would think from hearing them talk.They use the expression when they feel they are losing control.It can mean losing emotional control.Or losing the ability to do something.Or losing intelligence.
Word experts differ about how the expression started.Some believe it came from television programs popular in the 1980s.Others believe it began with psychologists,who deal with how people think,feel and act.
“We Americans have many concerns about controlling our lives.Perhaps we worry too much,”one psychologist said.“In many situations to say you are losing it eases the tension（不安）.”
It’s healthy.And most people who say they are having a problem are not losing it.
People may feel more like they are losing it when they are “down in the dumps”.Word expert Charles Funk says people have been feeling down in the dumps for more than 400 years.The word dumps probably comes from Northern European countries.The languages of Denmark and Norway both have similar words.The words mean to fall suddenly.Americans borrowed this saying.And,over the years,it has become a popular way of expressing sadness.
1.What problem did Mary think she had?
A. She easily lost emotional control.
B. She had quite low intelligence.
C. She seemed to have a poor memory.
D. She lost the ability to shop wisely.
2.How does the author explain the use of losing it?
A. By describing his own experiences.
B. By providing research findings.
C. By giving instructions.
D. By using examples.
3.We can infer from the psychologist that .
A. Americans worry too much about their health problems
B. it’s good for your health to say you're losing it
C. people really lose it when they say they're losing it
D. Americans enjoy controlling their lives
4.If someone feels down in the dumps,he or she .
A. is in low spirits B. is losing something
C. becomes less popular D. has a sudden fall in life
I was at the chemist collecting my daughter's medication and she asked me to go into the shop next door to get some energy drinks for her.She was about to travel on a train and she tires easily.The shop did not have what she wanted so I went to the garage near my home.As I came out of the garage I could see Margaret across the busy road. I thought to myself she-d just got off the bus and was on her way to her daughter's house which is next door to me.I thought I’d give her a lift to her daughter's house.
Then from across the busy road I could see the elderly lady I thought was Margaret going in a different direction down a different side street.I was surprised because I was really sure it was Margaret.In fact,I was so sure that I took the trouble of waiting to drive across the busy road to go to Margaret.
By the time I caught up with the elderly lady she was at the bottom of a dead end and looked confused as she didn't recognize where she was.It was indeed Margaret.Though I have spoken to her before and given her a lift,she needed reminded of who I was.Margaret got in my car.
We arrived at her daughter's house,it seemed in darkness and I didn’t think Julie was in.I told Margaret to go and check.I had to take Lauren to the train station.If Julie wasn’t at home I’d bring Margaret back to her own house.I went to my house and Lauren got in the car,then I saw Julie with Margaret.
Margaret thought I was kind to her today.Truth is though that her thankful words will stay with me for a long time.I'm so happy too that the first shop I went to didn't have what Lauren wanted otherwise I' d never have got this beautiful compliment or more importantly, to help Margaret.
1.What was the author doing when she saw Margaret?
A. Collecting medication. B. Buying energy drinks.
C. Driving on the street. D. Going to the garage.
2.What do you know about Margaret?
A. She tried to avoid meeting the author on her way.
B. She got lost on the way to her daughter's home.
C. She took a new way to her daughter's home.
D. She recognized the author at first sight.
3.Which can replace the underlined word “compliment” in the last paragraph?
A. excitement. B. apology.
C. praise. D. reward.
Skillswise Delivery（递送）Services
Christmas Job Opportunities（机会）
Aged between 16 and 65 years?Need some money for Christmas?
Are you available to work at short notice?
Can you work early in the morning or late at night?We are looking for careful and patient people to help to sort and deliver parcels in the Reading area from late November until the end of December.
Pay for weekdays,including Saturdays and Sundays,will be:
Ages 16 to 17—￡4.80 per hour.
Age 18 and over—￡6.10 per hour.
So if you have good communication skills and are able to work as part of a team,we would like to hear from you.
To get an application form（申请表）please write to:
Elaine Grey,Personnel Officer,Skillswise Delivery Services,Windsor Road.
Reading,RG5 4BR
Tel:0118 932 814 (24 hr.answer phone)
Closing date: 10th November
1.Skillswise Delivery Services is looking for people who .
A. are young adults B. live in the Reading area
C. have good qualities and certain skills D. can work full-time
2.If you're 16 and work 8 hours on Sunday,you'll get .
A. ￡48.80 B. ￡19.20
C. ￡24.40 D. ￡38.40
3.To get the Christmas job,you must .
A. phone Elaine Grey
B. fill in a form
C. get an application form before late November
D. go to the office of Skillswise Delivery Services
4.What should he do if a teen,Tom wants to get this job?
A. He must hand in his form before 10th October.
B. He must be sixteen years old or older.
C. He must work at noon.
D. He must call 0118 932 824.
